Vendors needed

The Streets of Brentwood shopping center brings you a special day to celebrate Mom! A day full of live music, dancers, and performers along with a sparkling array of select local artisans. This event is the day before Mother’s Day, and the shopping is on!

SATURDAY, MAY 7 10AM-3PM

THE STREETS OF BRENTWOOD

One Day Only in Center Court

2455 Sand Creek Road, Brentwood

11AM-2PM
FREE* $10 Gift Card

11AM-1PM
FREE Entertainment

10AM-3PM
Small “pop-up” Market

Vendors who would like to participate can contact Claudette or Johnny at 510-220-1609 or email jstatonprod@aol.com. More for Mom May 7th – local artisan vendor info

*With original receipt(s) totaling $75 or more from any The Streets of Brentwood retailer or restaurant, while supplies last. One gift card per customer, per receipt(s). To redeem, randomly draw your $10 The Streets of Brentwood Tenant Gift Card in Center Court from 11AM-2PM. No Exchanges Please. 

“Tell us where our daughter is. Help us bring her back home. We need our daughter back.” – Gwyn Gabe, Alexis’ father

Last seen in Antioch on January 26, 2022

By Allen D. Payton

The City of Oakley is offering a $10,000 reward for information leading to the whereabouts of Alexis Gabe, the 22-year-old Oakley woman missing since January 26 and last seen in Antioch on Benttree Way by her ex-boyfriend, who remains a person of interest in the case. The Oakley Police Department received a call of a missing person, under suspicious circumstances, on January 27, 2022. Police found Gabe’s car on Trenton Street, a cul-de-sac off Oakley Road. The car was unlocked with the keys inside, according to Oakley police Sgt. Robert Roberts. (See related article)

During a press conference on Thursday, April 28, her parents, Gwyn and Rowena Gabe, Oakley Police Chief Paul Beard and Detective Tyler Horn announced the reward and asked for the public to assist in the efforts to locate her.

A brief, surveillance camera video of a possible suspect was shared showing a man wearing a head covering and COVID-style mask walking in an area four-to-five minutes from where her car was found in Oakley on Jan. 26, 2022. (See video here and here).

Alexis’ Father Says “We Need Our Daughter Back”

During the press conference, Alexis’ father Gwyn spoke of his daughter and pleaded with whomever has information to please come forward.

“It’s been three, long excruciating months since Alexis’ disappearance,” Mr. Gabe said as Mrs. Gabe stood next to him choking back tears. “Since the day our daughter went missing, we’ve questioned our faith, have been completely overwhelmed and filled with doubt and despair. But with the love and support of those around us, we continue to find renewed strength and hope, every day.”

“We know this ordeal has impacted not only our family’s lives, and those who knew her and loved Alexis, but also the lives of the people within the community,” he continued. “Alexis is an amazing woman, daughter, sister and friend. She is genuine, loving, kind, smart and loyal. She is full of wit and humor. She still has so much life, laughter and joy to share.”

“We are pleading to whomever has information regarding Alexis’ disappearance to please come forward,” Mr. Gabe stated. “Please give Alexis the chance to be the person she is meant to be in this world. Tell us where our daughter is. Help us bring her back home. We need our daughter back. Thank you.”

Chief Beard Thanks Antioch PD for Help on His Department’s Biggest Case

Beard spoke next saying, “this is the biggest case my department has had in our relatively short history. We realize this case was bigger than us at a very early stage and we cannot effectively investigate this case had it not been for the assistance of other agencies, such as Antioch PD.” (See video of Chief Beard’s remarks)

“Together Antioch and Oakley PD have worked together, diligently every day of the week since she has been gone, sometimes around the clock,” the chief continued.

“I wish to reiterate that we are still seeking the help of the public, that is the main theme of today’s conference,” Beard stated. “My message to you is we need assistance from the public to help us solve this case and bring Alexis back and bring peace to her family.”

‘The Oakley Police Department, the Antioch Police Department, the City of Oakley all stand in support of the Gabe family,” he concluded.

In response to questions from the media, Beard said “I have dedicated six to seven people on the case.” (See video of Q&A)

Detective Horn Offers Description of Suspect in Video

Horn then had the video of the suspect walking from Alexis’ car shown several times and described him

www.ci.oakley.ca.us/alexisgabeapril28pressconference

“That is the individual we believe that dropped off Alexis’ car,” he said. “He’s about 5’11” to six-foot, skinny build, dark-skinned male with a large overcoat, either a beany or a cap on, sort of an N-95-style mask on with a beard protruding from underneath that mask.”

Anyone with information is asked to call the tip line at 925-625-7009.

24-year-old Alexis Gabe’s car was found in Oakley the next day

By Allen D. Payton

Today, Wednesday, February 16, 2022, Oakley Police Chief Paul Beard issued the following brief update on the search for the woman missing since January 26 and last seen by her ex-boyfriend in Antioch that night. (See related article)

“The investigation into the disappearance of Alexis Gabe has remained at the forefront of the Oakley Police Departments daily operations. We have also remained in frequent contact with the Gabe family throughout our investigation and we support them in their efforts as they try to locate Alexis as well.

We understand there is a great deal of public interest in this case. We remain committed to the tenets of completing a thorough investigation and making sure the integrity of our investigation outweighs public curiosity. The Oakley Police Department remains committed to locating Alexis and we are continuing on our path towards a complete investigation.”

Fliers about Gabe have been distributed and posted throughout East County, as well as posts on social media and ads have been placed on digital billboards along Highway 4 and I-680 to help in locating her.

If you have any information, please contact Oakley PD at (925) 625-8060.

Public input requested; legislatively designated for over 62 years

The proposed State Route 239 Project will provide a new, four-lane highway from State Route 4 at Marsh Creek Road in Contra Costa County to Interstate 580 in Alameda County or Interstate 205 in San Joaquin County. This new state route will ultimately improve the transportation network for an area that has few viable north-south roadway connections in this approximately 17-mile stretch between eastern Contra Costa and the Central Valley.

This project is sponsored by the Contra Costa County Transportation Authority (CCTA) in partnership with Contra Costa County and the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) – District 4. The proposed State Route 239 Project is critical to the region and needed to provide relief from increasing commute traffic through the town of Byron, enhance mobility in eastern Contra Costa, and improve access to the Byron Airport.

Brief History

State Route 239 has been a legislatively designated route since 1959. In 2005, Contra Costa County secured federal funds to initiate a feasibility study and a project initiation document (PID). The PID was completed in 2015 and the environmental study phase has been initiated.

Why Now?

Supporting the growing communities of eastern Contra Costa County and providing mobility options for the area are two key reasons to implement this corridor. It will serve as an important backbone for the region while helping people who live and work in eastern Contra Costa County (including Pittsburg, Antioch, Brentwood, Oakley, Byron, and Discovery Bay) and western San Joaquin County (including Tracy and Mountain House) connect, move and prosper.

Considerations

During the study phase of this project, which occurred between the spring of 2012 and the winter of 2013, a variety of stakeholder meetings were held, and several important themes emerged, including consideration of how a new route in eastern Contra Costa might affect conservation areas, agricultural lands, bird flight paths, and growth in the area. These considerations are still important, today and have set the stage for continued outreach during future project development phases.

Environmental Phase

Caltrans and CCTA are currently engaged in the environmental phase of the project development process for the State Route 239 Project. During this phase, the team will study and analyze all environmental impacts for the project area and will prepare a Draft Environmental Impact Report/ Environmental Impact Statement (EIR/EIS) for public review and comment in 2023.

The public is invited to join the conversation about the environmental scoping phase of the State Route 239 Project during the public comment period.

COMMENT PERIOD: DECEMBER 17, 2021- FEBRUARY 4, 2022

The State Route 239 Project is offering an environmental scoping virtual open house. The purpose of environmental scoping is to identify the environmental topics that the project team should study to assess the potential environmental impacts of a construction project. Public input on this project will be critical for ensuring the SR 239 project team’s studies are comprehensive and thorough. Within the website you will be able to review informational materials about this phase of the work.

Please use the online comment form provided to send your thoughts and questions to the project team.

Virtual Environmental Scoping Meeting

Live presentation and Q&A session scheduled for January 20, 2022 at 5:30 p.m.

Recorded scoping presentation will be posted on the page on January 21, 2022.

On January 20, 2022, please visit the website for a link to the interactive virtual scoping meeting that will start at 5:30 p.m. Visitors will be permitted to join the meeting 15 minutes before the start time. The team will make a presentation about this project and a panel of experts will be available to answer your questions about State Route 239.

For additional information about this project, please contact Stephanie Hu – Director, Projects at stephanieh@ccta.net.

 

 

Participant re-enters workforce, becomes financially stable homeowner

The Workforce Development Program at St. Vincent de Paul is a paid job training program aimed at helping the unemployed re-enter the workforce and find stable employment. The COVID-19 pandemic has seen millions suddenly find themselves out of work. In these hard times, it is more important than ever that job applicants understand workplace expectations and have the soft skills to be a contributing employee. The 24-week program teaches participants skills and techniques to find a job and be successful in the workplace, offering training in resume development, interviewing, and organizational skills in a supportive & compassionate environment. Mandatory orientation sessions, applicants should choose either the Pleasant Hill, Brentwood, or the Pittsburg sessions.

The Pleasant Hill Sessions take place on Thursday, Jan. 6 and Tuesday, Jan. 11, 2022, from 10 AM – 1 PM at Christ The King Church at 199 Brandon Road. The Brentwood Sessions take place on Saturday, Jan. 8 and Friday, Jan. 14 from 10 AM – 1PM at the St. Vincent de Paul Thrift Store at 8890 Brentwood Blvd. The Pittsburg Sessions will take place on Monday, Jan. 17 and Friday, Jan. 21 from 2 PM – 5 PM at the St. Vincent de Paul Family Resource Center at 2210 Gladstone Drive. Applicants must be at least 18 years of age.

The Workforce Development Program aims to help tear down the barriers that stand in the way of employment for individuals who have struggled to obtain and maintain employment. Participants work with mentors and take weekly classes to develop workplace skills. A new class of participants is selected every three months.

Participants gain paid, part-time, (22.5 hours per week), work experience in a St. Vincent de Paul thrift store or SVdP’s transportation department. Additional training in retail operations including cash register operations, inventory display and optimization, and warehouse operations is also provided.

Success for program participant is life-changing. Mary Turner, a graduate from SVdP’s Workforce Development Program, was living in her car when she began the program. A senior citizen, Mary found herself having to return to work when her rent increased beyond the means of her fixed income. After successfully graduating from the WFD program at St. Vincent de Paul, Mary found work as a medical support assistant. In October 2021, Mary purchased her first home in Stockton, California.

“It was hard, I was living on SSI and Disability, but my rent just kept increasing until I couldn’t afford it,” Mary said. “Now, I have a good job as an Advanced Medical Support Assistant (with the Veterans Administration), and I have my daughter and grand-babies stay in my home. If you want to be a home owner, it’s possible. It’s hard, it’s a struggle, but it’s worth it and it’s possible, and the people at St. Vincent de Paul showed me that.”

St. Vincent de Paul of Contra Costa County has provided safety-net services in the county for over 57 years, serving 100,000 people annually and distributing over $1M of direct financial assistance and over $1.7M of in-kind aid. Over 750 SVdP volunteers and a small staff lead operations in Contra Costa including the SVdP Family Resource Center in Pittsburg, 28 branches, and 3 Thrift Stores. One of the largest charitable organizations in the world, St. Vincent de Paul is an international, nonprofit, Catholic lay organization of more than 800,000 men and women who voluntarily join together to grow spiritually by offering person-to-person service to the needy and suffering in 155 countries on five continents.

State, local officials celebrate during grand opening; will open later this month after extensive renovation is completed; year-long program already serving about 40 Antioch homeless residents, has waitlist

The Contra Costa Health Services hosted a grand opening ceremony for Delta Landing, a 172-unit interim housing site in Pittsburg, on Monday, Dec. 6, 2021. It will be among the first in California to open thanks to the state’s Homekey program to provide shelter and on-site services to help county residents experiencing homelessness to regain housing.

“We are going to ensure we will continue to serve as many as possible with this resource…as we open this site as a permanent fixture,” said Deputy Health Services Director Lavonna Martin. She is the former Director of Health, Housing, & Homeless Services for Contra Costa County Health Services.

Delta Landing, recipient of a $21.5 million Homekey grant in 2020, will open later this month after extensive site renovation. In addition to new paint, roof, furnishings, laundry and fire sprinkler system, clients can make use of a new wellness center for physical and behavioral health needs and co-located services to help them regain permanent housing. (See related article)

“We are grateful to California and Gov. Gavin Newsom for the opportunity to add critically needed services in East County for residents without housing,” said Diane Burgis, chair of the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors. “Historically there has been a severe lack of beds in this part of the county, and Delta Landing is a great first step toward addressing that need.”

The site at 2101 Loveridge Road was previously a Motel 6, used since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic as a non-congregate emergency shelter for county residents with funding from the state’s Project Roomkey program.

The Homekey award allowed Contra Costa to negotiate the purchase of the motel and provide the necessary renovations to make a state-of-the-art interim housing facility with services such as basic healthcare, housing navigation and case management provided on site.

“This is a bit of a full circle moment. 524 days ago, the governor stood right there at the end of this walkway, right there and announced the new thing in the state called Homekey. It didn’t exist. Now, we’re here today,” said Jason Elliott, Senior Counselor to Gov. Gavin Newsom and one of the governor’s point-people on housing and homelessness. “What we did was we created a program and we provided funding. What the local governments did was make this happen…172 units of critically needed units.” (See related article)

Clients staying at the site were temporarily placed at other Project Roomkey locations in the county during renovations and will relocate back to Delta Landing this month.

“We know that the first service that people experiencing homelessness need is a stabilized living situation,” said Contra Costa Supervisor Federal Glover, whose district includes Pittsburg. “Delta Landing provides that stable place, so clients can make full use of the services and supports to transition into permanent housing.”

Previously, Glover said about 40 Antioch homeless residents are currently participating in the year-long program and there already a wait list. (See related article)

The county’s most recent homeless point-in-time count, in January 2020, showed that one-third of residents living outdoors in Contra Costa were in eastern Contra Costa – more than 500 people. But, before Delta Landing, there were only 20 available shelter beds in the county east of Concord.

Contra Costa’s Public Works Department led nearly $6 million renovation project. Homekey will also $4.196 million toward operation of this permanent facility, which is managed by Bay Area Community Services (BACS), a contractor of Contra Costa Health Services’ Division of Health, Housing and Homeless Services (H3).

Visit cchealth.org/h3 for information about services for people experiencing homelessness in Contra Costa County.

Allen Payton contributed to this report.

Former Motel 6 site renamed Delta Landing; it’s been closed for renovations during which residents were relocated; year-long program has waitlist; already serving about 40 Antioch residents; Antioch subcommittee’s proposal to spend $300K might not help 15 more unhoused residents

By Allen Payton

Contra Costa Health Services (CCHS) will host a grand opening ceremony for Delta Landing, a 172-unit interim housing site that will provide shelter and on-site services to help county residents experiencing homelessness to regain housing. It’s located at the former Motel 6 which was purchased by the county, last year. (See related article)

Delta Landing is one of the first projects completed with funding from California’s Homekey Program, which allowed Contra Costa County to purchase, renovate and transform a motel into interim housing.

The site was previously used to house homeless residents during the pandemic through the state’s Project Roomkey. But the former motel has been undergoing renovations during which the residents were relocated according to Supervisor Federal Glover. “We didn’t put them back on the street,” he said. “We will have a grand opening next Monday.”

Glover didn’t know when residents would move in but added, “That will be shared during the event.”

The event will be held from 12 to 1 p.m. Monday, Dec. 6, 2021 at 2101 Loveridge Road in Pittsburg. The event begins in the central courtyard.

The event will begin with prepared comments followed by a question-and-answer session for news media and guided site tours including rooms, the site’s new wellness center and other features.

It will help Contra Costa County to address critical need for more services for residents experiencing homelessness in the eastern part of the county. The most recent point-in-time count showed about 500 East County residents may be without shelter on any given night. Prior to Delta Landing, there were only 20 shelter beds available east of Concord in Contra Costa County.

Antioch Subcommittee’s Proposal to Spend $300,000 Might Not Help 15 More Unhoused Residents

On Tuesday, Antioch Mayor Lamar Thorpe announced that he and District 2 Councilman Mike Barbanica, as members of the city council’s Unhoused Residents Ad Hoc Committee, proposed spending $300,000 to help get 15 homeless residents into the Delta Landing program. (See related article)

Asked about the proposal, Glover said, “we’re already serving Antioch residents” and estimated that figure to be about 40 people. “We welcome partners who want to contribute financially to support the program. We had enough money from the state to purchase the motel, and the County has budgeted some funds for the ongoing costs. But we’ll be applying for grants and looking for others to contribute.”

He also said there’s a wait list for rooms and shared they “expect residents to be there for about a year. But hopefully some can move on, sooner. It depends on each individual.”

The $300,000 proposed by the Antioch council’s subcommittee would be used to pay for current program costs and may not result in helping 15 more unhoused residents from living on the streets.

Questions were sent to Thorpe and Barbanica, asking if they were aware of how the $300,000 funds would be spent by the county and if the funds could instead be spent to ensure 15 additional unhoused Antioch residents would be helped off the street by using voucher at the Executive Inn on E. 18th Street or other motels in the city. They were also asked how soon the Antioch program would begin now that the Planning Commission has voted to recommend approval of the Transitional Housing Overlay District for the Executive Inn.

Please check back later for any updates to this report.

It will be pretty dam big!

By Jennifer Allen, Director of Public Affairs, Contra Costa Water District

Brentwood – The Los Vaqueros Reservoir Expansion Project (Project) passed a significant milestone today, Thursday, Oct. 7, 2021, in officially filing agreements needed to form a Joint Powers Authority. This important milestone puts a group of Local Agency Partners one step closer to Project implementation.

Los Vaqueros Reservoir is an off-stream reservoir that was originally built by Contra Costa Water District (CCWD) in 1998. The original reservoir capacity was 100,000 acre-feet and in 2012, CCWD completed the first phase of expansion to hold 160,000 acre-feet.

Expanding Los Vaqueros to a new capacity of 275,000 acre-feet and adding new conveyance facilities will provide environmental, water supply reliability, operational flexibility, water quality and recreational benefits. Those benefits earned the expansion $470 million of the $2.7 billion in water storage investments approved by voters when Proposition 1 passed. The remainder of the project costs will be covered by federal and local partners.

Transforming a local reservoir into a regional facility requires partnerships. Agencies in the Bay Area and Central Valley, serving urban areas, agricultural land and wildlife refuges, have come together to move this expansion forward. A critical step in forming this partnership is the creation of the Los Vaqueros Reservoir Joint Powers Authority (JPA).

“Contra Costa Water District looks forward to working with all of the partners on the JPA in making financing, construction, and operations decisions for the expansion,” said Lisa Borba, CCWD Board President. “As the owner and operator of the system, we know the valuable benefits that Los Vaqueros continues to provide our customers and growing those benefits for a larger region is a smart investment for future generations.”

The JPA establishes the governance of the Project among the partnering agencies and provides the organizational framework for Project design, construction, operation, maintenance and funding. JPA members will bring perspectives from the agency or agencies they represent and work collaboratively to meet the needs of all agencies involved. The JPA will hold its first official public meeting in mid-November.

“The Los Vaqueros Reservoir Expansion is not only important for EBMUD, but for the Bay Area and the region as a whole,” said John Coleman, EBMUD Ward 2 Director and Los Vaqueros JPA Board Member. “Along with efforts such as water conservation, water recycling, and supplemental supplies, EBMUD will continue to support mutually-beneficial regional reliability efforts to prepare for an uncertain future.”

Looking forward, the Project team is continuing work to secure the necessary permits, approvals and agreements to begin construction. At this point, construction is scheduled to begin in the winter of 2023.

More information about the JPA is available at www.losvaquerosjpa.com.

OTHER JPA PARTNER STATEMENTS

Zone 7 – Tri-Valley

“For the Zone 7 Board, participation in this project represents a lesson learned from the last drought. Our constituents were clear that they wanted the Agency to pursue additional local storage and this is a key step towards fulfilling that request,” noted Angela Ramirez Holmes, Zone 7 Board President. “In addition to local storage, this regional partnership also has the benefit of emergency conveyance which is critical for when there are pumping restrictions in the Delta preventing Zone 7 from accessing State Water Project water. This alternative conveyance will increase the Tri-Valley water system’s reliability.”

Alameda County Water District

“The current drought is a stark reminder of the importance of reliable water storage, and Alameda County Water District is proud of our partnership with Contra Costa Water District and other Bay Area and regional stakeholders on this multi-benefit project,” said Aziz Akbari, ACWD Board President.  “ACWD’s participation in the JPA is another example of interagency coordination for the benefit of our customers and our region as we help guide improvements in long-term water supply reliability along with wildlife and environmental benefits as California works to combat climate change.”

Bay Area Water Supply and Conservation Agency 

“The Bay Area Water Supply and Conservation Agency (BAWSCA) is pleased to see continued progress in the Los Vaqueros Expansion Project, including this most recent milestone of the JPA formation,” said Nicole Sandkulla, BAWSCA CEO/General Manager. “The project, when in place, will serve to augment the water supply reliability of the San Francisco Regional Water System (System) during times of drought, helping to address the critical needs of the water users in the BAWSCA region that rely on the System to meet a majority of their water supply needs.”

Grassland Water District

“Grassland Water District is pleased to be involved with the formation of California’s newest water JPA,” said GWD General Manager Ricardo Ortega. “The Los Vaqueros Reservoir Expansion Project is a bright spot for California’s water future and will provide increasingly important ecosystem water supplies for wildlife refuges.”

San Francisco Public Utilities Commission

“Regional Cooperation is crucial for a resilient and reliable water future for our customers given the stresses that global climate change and shifting regulations put on our water supplies,” said Michael Carlin, Acting General Manager for the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission. “The SFPUC is committed to working with our partners on regional solutions, such as the Los Vaqueros Reservoir Expansion Project.”

San Luis & Delta-Mendota Water Authority

“California’s increasingly variable water cycle – including our current devastating drought conditions – continues to reinforce the need to pursue an all of the above approach to increasing water supply reliability for our communities and ecosystems,” said Federico Barajas, Executive Director of the San Luis & Delta-Mendota Water Authority. “We know the solutions – increased water storage, improved water conveyance, operations that are responsive to changing conditions – and are pleased to be a partner to advance the next step in making the Los Vaqueros Reservoir Expansion Project a reality.”

Santa Clara Valley Water District

“Our Board is proactively exploring ways to secure enough water to help all our communities in Santa Clara County weather droughts,” Valley Water Board Chair Tony Estremera said. “Valley Water looks forward to working with our JPA partners on this important project that could improve the reliability of our region’s water supply.”